Stephens opened its four-game series against Hesston with a high-scoring 16-11 win on Saturday, using a big sixth inning to pull away at home.

Stephens got on the board first with two runs in the second inning. Katie Dennis drove in the first run with a double, and Celeste Athon followed with a sacrifice to make it 2-0. Hesston responded with a five-run third inning to take the lead, but Stephens answered right back with four runs of its own in the bottom half. AJ Thurston and Athon each drove in runs, helping Stephens regain a 6-5 advantage.

The back-and-forth continued in the fourth inning. Hesston scored four runs to go back in front 9-6, but Stephens stayed within reach as Landry Bales hit a two-run home run and Dennis added an RBI double to tie the game at 9-9.

After a scoreless fifth inning, Hesston plated two runs in the sixth to take an 11-9 lead. Stephens responded with its biggest inning of the game, scoring seven runs on seven hits. Thurston started the rally with an RBI single, Athon delivered a two-run double, and Addison Flores and Elise Kendrick followed with RBI hits. Skylar Jacobs capped the inning with a two-run double to give Stephens a 16-11 lead.

At the plate, Stephens totaled 17 hits. Athon led the way with three hits and five RBIs, while Thurston added two hits and three RBIs. Dennis finished with two doubles and two RBIs, and Jacobs drove in two runs. Bales also contributed with her two-run home run.

In the circle, Dennis earned the win, pitching four innings, while Savannah Greathouse and Kyndal Vincent combined to close out the final three innings.

Game Two: Stars 7, Larks 2

Stephens secured a series win with a 7-2 victory over Hesston in the second game on Saturday, using a strong start at the plate and a complete game performance in the circle.

Stephens wasted no time getting on the board, scoring three runs in the first inning. After a pair of baserunners reached, Landry Bales delivered a three-run home run to give Stephens an early 3-0 lead. The offense stayed productive in the second inning, adding two more runs. Addison Flores drove in a run with a single, and Kendall Rhorer followed with an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 5-1.

Hesston chipped away with single runs in the second and third innings, but Stephens pitching limited any further damage. Leanna Mitts was in control throughout, going all seven innings while allowing just two runs on eight hits.

After several scoreless innings, Stephens added insurance in the sixth. Elise Kendrick came through with a two-run single, bringing in Celeste Athon and Kyndal Vincent to push the lead to 7-2.

Stephens finished with nine hits in the game. Flores led the way with three hits and an RBI, while Bales totaled three RBIs with her first-inning home run. Kendrick added two RBIs, and Vincent recorded two hits and scored twice. Athon also crossed the plate two times in the win.

Game Three: Stars 13, Larks 5
 

Stephens continued its strong weekend with a 13-5 win over Hesston in game three of the series on Sunday, using a big second inning and consistent offense to stay in control.

Hesston struck first with a run in the opening inning, but Stephens quickly responded with a seven-run second inning to take command of the game. Abby Schmidt got the scoring started with an RBI single, and Celeste Athon followed with a two-run hit. Addison Flores added another RBI, while Elise Kendrick, Landry Bales, and Leanna Mitts each drove in runs to cap the inning and give Stephens a 6-1 lead.

Hesston answered with four runs in the fourth to cut the lead to 6-5, but Stephens responded immediately in the bottom half. Mitts drove in a run, and Schmidt broke the game open with a three-run home run to push the lead to 10-5.

Stephens added two more runs in the fifth to create further separation. Bales and Schmidt each collected RBI hits to extend the lead to 12-5.

Stephens totaled 14 hits in the game. Schmidt had a standout performance, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs, including the three-run home run. Bales added three hits and two RBIs, while Mitts recorded two hits, drove in two runs, and reached base multiple times. Kendrick and Athon also contributed RBIs in the win.

In the circle, Claire Mohan-Ram earned the win, going all five innings while allowing five runs, only one of which was earned.

Game Four: Stars 3, Larks 15

Stephens closed out its four-game series against Hesston with a 15-3 loss on Sunday, as a big late-game surge from Hesston proved to be the difference.

Hesston struck first in the second inning with a two-run double to take an early lead. Stephens responded in the third when Elise Kendrick drove in Kyndal Vincent with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 2-1. Stephens tied the game in the fifth after Kennedi Gibbons scored on an error, making it 2-2.

The game shifted in the sixth inning, when Hesston broke things open. A string of hits, combined with multiple errors, led to a seven-run inning that gave Hesston a 9-2 lead. Hesston continued to add on in the seventh, scoring six more runs to extend the margin to 15-2.

Stephens added one final run in the bottom of the seventh, as Morgan Ulrich recorded an RBI single to bring home Vincent, but the deficit was too much to overcome.

Vincent led Stephens with two hits and two runs scored, while Kendrick added two hits and an RBI. Ulrich also contributed an RBI in the loss.

In the circle, Abby Schmidt started and went five innings, allowing four runs, while Savannah Greathouse, Mylee Hawkins, and Katie Dennis combined in relief.

Despite the loss in the finale, Stephens wins three of the four games in the series against Hesston.